The invention relates to a valve assembly for a container for beverage, in particular carbonated beverage such as beer, of the type described in the preamble of temperature main claim. Such a valve assembly is known from European patent application EP 0 224 380.
This known valve assembly for a container for a beverage, comprises a housing and a beverage channel with a valve body. Operating means are provided for moving said valve body, said operating means comprising first and second coupling means for removal and introduction of beverage from and into the container respectively. In this known assembly, the combined surface of the passage openings in the valve body is during filling identical to said surface during dispensing in a first (closed) and a second (opened) position respectively.
Furthermore, EP 0 385 191 discloses a valve assembly comprises a housing with a beverage channel, accommodating a valve body which, in a first position, provides a complete closure of the beverage channel By means of a quick-closing means, a feed line or a discharge line for beverage can be connected to the housing. In this known valve assembly, during the filing of a container as well as during the delivery of beverage therefrom, the same passage of the beverage channel is in each case released. This passage is relatively small so that filling of the beverage container can only be effected relatively slowly. In this known valve assembly, increasing the passage has as a consequence that during the delivery of the beverage, an unduly great flow rate is obtained, which adversely affects the beverage delivery and the control thereof. Moreover, this known valve assembly has a relatively great end-to-end dimension, which is disadvantageous in respect of, for instance, the storing of a container provided therewith, the required shelf space and the vulnerability of such valve assembly. Moreover, this known assembly has as a drawback
The object of the invention is to provide a valve assembly of the type described in the preamble, wherein at least the drawbacks mentioned are avoided, while the advantages thereof are maintained. To that end, a valve assembly according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 1.
In a valve assembly according to the present invention, two different coupling means for coupling the beverage channel of the valve assembly to beverage dispensing means for emptying a container, respectively for coupling the beverage channel to a filling device for filling the container, are employed in a surprising manner. Both the filling and emptying operations of the container can take place through or along the valve body. Unlike the known valve assembly, the dimensioning and design of the relevant coupling means can thus in each case be optimally provided, while substantially the same valve housing and valve body can be used, for instance fixedly connected to an inner container. The second coupling means can for instance enable a greater flow rate, at least filling the container at relatively high speed and/or pressure without involving excess foaming or adversely affecting the beverage and/or the container otherwise. The first coupling means, suitable for emptying the container, can be designed with, for instance, a relatively small passage for dispensing the beverage in a relatively slow and controlled manner. Moreover, for instance the first coupling means can be designed to enable operation of the valve body with a relatively great stroke, while the first coupling means can for instance permit a relatively small stroke, so that they can be constructed with a relatively small end-to-end dimension. This is important in particular for the first coupling means, because in principle only these first coupling means will be presented, with a container, to an end user. On the other hand, the second coupling means will in principle only be used in a brewery, bottling plant or the like. A further advantage of using first and second coupling means is that the first coupling means do not have to be fitted until the associated container has been filled, so that the sealing and/or tamper-sealing thereof is possible in a particularly simple manner, which is of importance for guaranteeing the quality of the contents of the container in question.
When the valve body is in its third position, a relatively great flow of beverage can pass the valve body per unit of time, for filling the beverage container relatively quickly, without involving excess foaming. This means that the filling of the beverage container requires relatively little time, without particularly complicated measures having to be taken therefor. Moreover, this prevents the quality of the beverage from being adversely affected during filling, while a relatively high filling pressure can be applied. Because when the valve assembly is in the second position, only a relatively small passage is released for dispensing the beverage, the advantage thus achieved is that accurate control of the desired flow rate is possible, again without involving excess foaming and without requiring any complicated measures.
In further elaboration, a device according to the invention is further characterized by the features of claim 3.
In such embodiment, a fully closed first position of the valve body, a partially open second position and a fully open third position thereof are defined as discrete steps, as a result of which such valve assembly can be used in an even simpler manner.
In a further advantageous embodiment, a valve assembly according to the invention is further characterized by the features of claim 4, in particular of claims 4 and 5.
The advantage achieved by providing an at least partially hollow valve body, wherein, in a sidewall, at least one opening is provided for forming, in at least a second and third position of the valve body, an open fluid connection between a container in which the valve assembly is used and a part of the beverage channel remote from the relevant container, is that the valve body can be of a particularly simple construction, while the passage in the first and second position is readily defined by the total surface area of the clear portion of the or each opening in the sidewall. In a first position, the beverage channel is closed off by at least the end face, such that beverage from the relevant container cannot reach the or each opening in question. The advantage that is moreover achieved hereby is that the outflow direction of the beverage, at least during the feed of the beverage into the container, encloses an angle with the longitudinal axis of the valve body, to obtain a favorable distribution of the beverage, while the beverage is prevented from being fed directly and at full pressure from the filling opening into the beverage that is already present in the container, thus further preventing the foaming thereof. This also provides the advantage that when the beverage is being removed from the container, the feed of beverage from the container to the beverage channel and formed through the or each relevant opening is prevented from possibly being covered by, for instance, a flexible wall of the container. Moreover, a further advantage is that during use, the flow-through opening of the beverage channel itself in each case remains almost completely free, or at least that when the valve assembly is open, the passage thereof is hardly limited by the presence of the valve body, which prevents the flow of beverage from being adversely affected during the filling and emptying of the container. Further, the filling pressure will support the opening of the valve body.
The use of the end face of the valve body for closing in a first position against a longitudinal edge of the beverage channel effects a proper seal in a simple manner, which seal is further improved by the occurrence of a slightly higher pressure in the container.
In a further embodiment, a valve assembly according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 7.
Coupling the operating means to the valve body enables a simple operation thereof. The stop means provide that when the first and second coupling means are used, the stroke of the valve body is in each case unequivocally defined. Moreover, by providing that the coupling means can only be detached from the valve body when the valve body is in the first position, beverage is prevented from escaping from the container unintentionally in the absence of the coupling means. Indeed, an open position can only be adopted by the valve body when the coupling means have been removed.
In a further advantageous embodiment, the valve body is biased in a closed position.
In a further embodiment, a valve assembly according to the invention is further characterized by the features of claim 11.
Accommodating spring means in a chamber between the valve body and the housing offers the advantage that thus, the spring means are readily protected and can readily be formed, while they are moreover always located outside the flow of beverage. This simply prevents mutual influencing of the quality of the beverage and the spring means. Biasing the valve body in a first, closed position offers the advantage that beverage cannot flow from the container until the valve body is actively operated into an open position.
In further elaboration, a valve assembly according to the invention is further characterized by the features of claim 12.
The advantage achieved by the use of fluid spring means, in particular an air spring, is that the valve assembly can be of a particularly simple and inexpensive design, while spring means of a suitable spring characteristic are obtained. Moreover, such spring means have the advantage that the quality of the beverage cannot be affected thereby in any manner whatsoever, not even when the beverage contacted the spring means. Moreover, recycling of a valve assembly according to the invention is further simplified hereby.
In a further advantageous embodiment, a valve assembly according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 14.
Fixing the valve body in the closed position offers the advantage that transport and storage of a container provided therewith are thus further simplified and the preservation of the quality is ensured thereby.
In a further advantageous embodiment, a valve assembly according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 16.
The advantage achieved with such embodiment is that the pressure body is movable in two directions, such that it can act as pressure release valve for the inner space of the container. After all, in the case of unduly high pressure in the inner space of the container, the valve body will be pressed towards the at least partially open position, allowing at least gas to escape from the inner space for reducing the pressure therein.
The invention further relates to a valve assembly for a container for beverage, characterized by the features of claim 17.
In such embodiment, a valve assembly of a particularly simple construction and an effective pattern of passage is obtained.
The invention further relates to a container for beverage, in particular a carbonated beverage such as beer, provided with a valve assembly according to the invention.
In a particularly advantageous embodiment, a container according to the invention is characterized by the features of claim 19.
The use of an outer container and, included therein, a relatively flexible inner container in which the beverage can be stored, offers the advantage that the inner container can be pressed empty in a relatively simple manner by introducing, a pressure medium between the inner container and the outer container. Accordingly, the inner container is protected relatively effectively by the outer container. In this manner, the inner container can be emptied relatively easily, while the container can moreover readily be filled by means of the valve assembly with the second coupling means. Through the provision of means for feeding said pressure medium into the space between the inner container and the outer container, which feed means are closed when the valve body is in a first position and are open when the valve body is in an open second or third position, it is readily effected that the pressure in said space is maintained at the proper level when no beverage is fed into the container or discharged therefrom. After all, in those cases, the valve body is in its first position, in which the beverage channel is closed.
In a further advantageous embodiment, a container according to the invention is further characterized by the features of claim 21.
Through the use of first sealing means on the first and second coupling means and second sealing means on the housing, which first and second sealing means, when the valve body is in any open position, cooperate for a fluid-tight connection between the first or second coupling means and the air channel, separated from the path to be traveled by the beverage, a passage for the air, at least the pressure medium, is readily obtained without this air contacting the beverage.
The invention further relates to a method for using a container according to the invention, characterized by the features of claim 23.
Such a method offers the advantage that a container according to the invention can be assembled and filled in a particularly simple manner, while moreover, the advantage can be achieved that after filling, closure of the container is directly effected.
A method according to the invention is further preferably characterized by the features of claim 26.
The advantage achieved by removing a used inner container together with a part of the valve assembly connected thereto, prior to the placing of an inner container, is that the outer container can be used again, while the inner container together with the relevant part of the valve assembly can be reused. This may possibly be the entire valve assembly, yet preferably without second coupling means.
Further advantageous embodiments of a valve assembly, a beverage container, and method and combinations thereof are given in the subclaims.